So Much More, A Mall of America® Podcast

Tony Oliva’s story is about much more than baseball. In this episode of So Much More, we sit down with Minnesota Twins legend Tony Oliva and his son, Ric Oliva, author of No Hay Problema: The Amazing Story of Tony Oliva, for a conversation about resilience, family, and legacy. Tony reflects on his journey from Cuba to the major leagues, the sacrifices and second chances that shaped his path, and what it meant to finally receive the call to the Hall of Fame. Ric shares why he wanted to tell his father’s story for a younger audience and how Tony’s signature outlook “no hay problema” became a guiding philosophy for their family. Together, they talk about baseball, belonging, Minnesota, and the lasting connection between Tony’s Twins legacy and the site where Mall of America now stands. 1:45 Tony recalls playing at Metropolitan Stadium, and loves visiting Mall of America and home plate 3:15 Tony recalls former teammates and how they helped him as a rookie 5:00 What drove Tony to earn a Gold Glove and All Star status 9:00 Ric talks about growing up with a famous father, and the book he wrote 15:00 How never giving up can lead to success 21:00 When father gets to pitch to hall-of-fame father at MN Twins Fantasy Camp25:15 What it meant to be called into the Hall of Fame 28:40 All about the book, “No Hay Problema” and the most important lesson Visit: https://ricoliva.com/ Visit: https://www.facebook.com/MNTwinsFantasyCamp/ Guests: Tony Oliva, Ric Oliva Hosts: Daniel Jasper, Jill Renslow Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

With the Super Bowl just days away, today’s episode celebrates the biggest game of the year…Mall of America style. NOTE – watch this episode if possible, you won’t want to miss the designs. We’re joined by fashion designer Christopher Straub, who kicks things off by showing off his Super Bowl–inspired dress designs, a memorable Mall of America activation that blended high fashion with football. Christopher walks us through each look, shares the inspiration behind the designs, and reflects on standout moments. Sara Johnson weighs in with her fashion-forward perspective, highlighting what makes each design stand out and whether she’d wear a modern-inspired version today. Then we turn our attention to game day at MOA. Sara shares where to watch the Super Bowl, food and drink specials across the Mall, and how fans can turn Super Bowl Sunday into a full-day experience—whether you’re here for the game, the food, or the atmosphere. Christopher and Sara share their favorite Super Bowl memories, traditions and foods. Fashion, football, and fan experience…all in one episode. 2:15 Origins of creating Super Bowl inspired fashion designs at Mall of America 4:00 Design #1: Astroturf meets high fashion, halter neck with hand-painted decals 5:40 Design #2: Sports fan cheering on both teams including hat, leg warmers and foam finger 7:15 Design #3: Sewn live during Super Bowl Media Party: making the call, referee-style 9:15 Design #4: Super Bowl ticket gown. Amazing design in with fabric for this dress 12:00 Design #5: The finale. A sculptural mini-dress made with football leather, lacing 14:33 A brief intermission followed by in studio conversation with Christopher and SJ 15:40 Transforming Paul Bunyan for Super Bowl LII 19:50 Super Bowl prep ideas (from fashion to jerseys, and dining to watch parties) with SJ 22:15 Why people watch the Big Game, from commercials to half-time show Guests: Christopher Straub, fashion designer, author, entrepreneur, TV celebrity Your host: Daniel Jasper, Sara Johnson Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

In this episode, we’re joined once again by Carrie Charleston and Ashley Hofman from Mall of America’s leasing team, the minds behind the mix. Together, we explore how new retail, dining, and experiential concepts come together to create unforgettable moments for guests. From viral openings like KPOP NARA and Pop Mart, to nostalgic collaborations like Hello Kitty + Friends Build-A-Bear, to crowd-drawing moments like Tom Brady’s appearance for CardVault. We’ll also dig into the evolving food scene with brands like Giordano’s, Sweetgreen, and Sweet Crunch Tanghulu, and look ahead to what’s coming next including immersive experiences like Vatican Unveiled and exciting new additions like DUCK, Mogouyan Noodle, Roni’s Mac Bar, and Mango. This conversation goes beyond square footage and storefronts. It’s about timing, storytelling, guest emotion, and why leasing at Mall of America is really about creating moments people remember long after they leave. 1:10 New shopping, dining and fun additions and Ahley’s obsession with Labubus 3:00 Take time to explore recently opened Mavi jeans, MINISO and Card Vault by Tom Brady 8:15 KPOP Nara soon to open at MOA, the newest addition in Asian pop music + culture 12:25 Hello Kitty partners with Build A Bear, bringing generations together 13:30 Chicago-style pizza Giordano’s to Mogouyan hand-pulled noodles and Sweetgreen 18:45 Duck! claw-machine experience, Primark fashion and home-forward, Mango fashion 21:45 J. Crew and Banana Republic capturing nostalgia and forward-looking fashion coming soon To learn more, visit: https://www.vikings.com/ and https://www.vikings.com/fans/ Guests: Carrie Charleston, Vice President + Head of Leasing; Ashley Hofmann, Leasing Director at Mall of America Your host: Jill Renslow, Daniel Jasper Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

What does it take to keep the nation’s busiest mall safe, day in and day out? In this episode, we talk with Will Bernhjelm, Vice President of Security at Mall of America, about a career shaped by service, adaptability, and purpose. Will has been an integral member of the MOA security team, which he now leads, for more than 23 years. Will and his team of highly trained, dedicated professional security officers are the best of the best. Will shares how his time in the Army National Guard influenced his leadership approach and elevated security training at MOA… a program that leads the industry. We explore the “Swiss cheese” model of security, where layered people, processes, and technology work together to keep guests safe. From bike and patrol officers to K9 teams and advanced tools like license plate readers and facial recognition, used responsibly and thoughtfully, combine to keep the Mall safe. At its core, this conversation is about why security matters, and the deeply personal motivation behind protecting a place where millions of families come to make memories. 1:00 Will’s professional journey that led to Mall of America 3:10 Army National Guard deployments to Kosovo and Iraq led to supervisory role in security training 5:30 A new outlook on security training, leading the retail and attractions industries 9:00 The Swiss cheese strategy that keeps Mall of America safe 11:45 MOA bike officers, year-round patrols in all types of weather 12:50 Everyone’s favorite… Mall of America K9 teams 14:25 MOA Patrol Officers, the modern day ‘beat cop’ at the nation’s busiest mall 15:30 Technology at MOA including LPR cameras 16:45 How Facial Recognition technology is used responsibly at MOA and leads the industry 19:45 Why we work hard to keep this place safe (it’s all about family) To learn more, visit: https://mallofamerica.com/security Guests: Will Bernhjelm, Vice President of Security at Mall of America Your host: Daniel Jasper Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.